A Primer on Postnuptial and Prenuptial Agreements

Couples in and around Sugarland, Texas should learn about how a prenuptial agreement or postnuptial agreement can help them.

Many people in Sugarland may have grown up hearing of prenuptial agreements as used by an elite group of people only. Historically these documents have been a primary means by which wealthy persons chose to secure their individual assets before getting married in the event that a marriage ended in divorce. That benefit can still be enjoyed from these contracts but there are other reasons to consider a prenuptial agreement today. In addition, already married couples may be able to utilize postnuptial agreements in the right circumstances.

Estate planning with a twist

The New York Daily News notes that a greater number of Americans today are getting married later in life, often after having been married before. In these cases, there are often adult children and even grandchildren for whom spouses may wish to secure specific assets or special family heirlooms for after they die. For this reason, a prenuptial agreement can be a part of estate planning as these wishes can be outlined in stipulations in a marital contract.

Even if children may still live at home, a prenuptial agreement can outline financial support and care for them as well as post-death wishes and help to eliminate conflicts or issues surrounding those topics.

Guarding against reputation damage

In today’s society, social media is part and parcel of many people’s everyday lives. It can be fun and informative but this medium can also be very damaging if used incorrectly. With a few keystrokes, one person’s reputation can be publicly damaged causing not only embarrassment but sometimes even harm to a professional status and business. Fox News notes that social media clauses are becoming more common in modern prenuptial agreements today so that one spouse cannot mar the reputation of another online if a divorce happens.

Postnuptial agreements and stay-at-home moms and dads

The Daily Beast reported on how postnuptial agreements are finding new uses among already married couples that later on make the choice for one parent to stay home to raise the kids. These contracts can help to provide financial stability in the event that the couple divorces later on, understanding that resuming work after several years rarely finds a person earning the same amount of money that was earned previously.

Make it legal

When considering a prenuptial agreement or a postnuptial agreement, it is important to work with an attorney at every step of the way. Anyone interested in these contracts should find a lawyer who is experienced in these documents.